Defense, pick-6 carry Cornell past Lehigh in win
Connor Henderson’s 31-yard interception return for a touchdown helped lift Cornell to a 19-15 victory over Lehigh Saturday, earning the Big Red a 3-0 non-conference record in a season for the first time since 2007 and fifth time in program history.
Cornell stopped the Mountain Hawks on six of their seven trips to the red zone and came up with a big stop on fourth down in the final minute of the game on pass break-ups by Brody Kidwell and Anthony Chideme-Alfaro.
Dylan Van Dusen kicked three first-half field goals, the longest from 26-yards out, and Gaige Garcia scored on a 13-yard run just before intermission to stake Lehigh to a 15-10 lead after a half, but Cornell (3-2) took the lead when Henderson picked off a Dante Perri pass and returned it for the touchdown to take a 16-15 lead. Jackson Kennedy kicked a 41-yard fourth-quarter field goal to set the final margin.
Garcia finished with 162 yards on 25 carries to lead Lehigh (1-6) and Perri threw for 184 yards, completing 19 of 35 attempts.
Jameson Wong completed 18 of 30 attempts for 202 yards passing to lead the Big Red while seven backs gained a collective 155 yards on 28 carries.
Yale overcomes 5 turnovers to beat winless Bucknell
Quarterback Nolan Grooms rushed for three touchdowns and passed for another, and Yale overcame five turnovers to beat winless Bucknell 29-9 on Saturday.
Yale led 7-3 at halftime after Grooms connected with David Pantelis for a 13-yard touchdown to cap a 97-yard drive. The Bulldogs’ first drive of the second half ended with Grooms’ 9-yard touchdown run. Grooms added a 14-yard touchdown and a 21-yarder to cap the scoring with 3:43 left in the fourth.
Yale (4-1) won its fourth straight game. Bucknell (0-6) has lost 13 consecutive dating to last season.
Grooms rushed for 95 yards and passed for 209 yards with four interceptions. Tre Peterson added 84 yards rushing.
Bucknell took a 3-0 lead after Rushawn Baker’s 75-yard run set up a 39-yard field goal by Matt Schearer. The Bison defense also forced punts on Yale’s first three drives.
Gavin Pringle grabbed Bucknell’s fourth interception on the opening play of the fourth quarter.
Richmond defense stymies Villanova
Reece Udinski accounted for two touchdowns and the Richmond defense made them stand up as the Spiders defeated Villanova 20-10 on Saturday.
Udinski scored on a 1-yard run and threw to Connor Deveney for a 6-yard score as Richmond took a 14-10 halftime lead. Andrew Lopez added two red zone field goals in the fourth quarter for the FCS No. 21 Spiders (4-2, 2-1 Colonial Athletic Association).
Richmond ground out 227 rushing yards on 52 carries and Udinski passed for 104 yards, completing 16 of 23 attempts. Aaron Dykes had 89 yards rushing on 23 carries.
FCS No. 17 Villanova (3-3, 1-2) had drives of 62 yards for a touchdown and 77 yards for a field goal in the first half but managed only 75 yards in the second half, 51 yards of that total coming on a run by TD Ayo-Durojaiye.
Ayo-Durojaiye finished with 106 yards on 11 carries.
Penn defense sets tone early
Aidan Sayin threw for three touchdowns and 299 yards and Pennsylvania was never threatened in a 34-14 win over Columbia on Saturday.
The Quakers (5-0, 2-0 Ivy League) have won their first five games for the first time since their historic 2003 team went 10-0 and earned a 13th league title.
The Quakers defense got Penn its first touchdown when 285-pound defensive tackle Micah Morris intercepted Joe Green at Columbia’s 27 and rambled his way into the end zone for a 10-0 lead to close the first quarter.
On the Lions’ next drive, Ryan Young lost the ball at his own 13 and Penn’s Kendren Smith recovered it. Sayin threw a 6-yard scoring pass to Julien Stokes five plays later. Columbia responded on the following drive when Green threw a 58-yard pass to Bryson Canty to get to the Quakers’ 17. However, Smith intercepted Green in the end zone the following play. Later, Sayin threw a 42-yard scoring pass to Joshua Casilli for a 24-0 lead with 3:34 before halftime.
In relief of Green, Caden Bell threw for 196 yards and two touchdowns for Columbia (3-2, 0-2).